Luminous tube and circuit



Patented Aug. 20, 1935 UNlTED STATES PATenron-" cg 2,012,238 LUMINOUSI'UBE AND c rnourr Brant Eknayan, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, as-

signor, by mesne assignments, to Ecksol Corporation of America, acorporationof Delaware Application March 6, 1933, Serial No. 659,802

7 Claims. (01. 176-124) This invention includes the art of luminoustubes.

It relates specifically to the art of arc-discharge luminous tubes. Suchtubes require current-limiting means in series therewith in order toprevent the development of a runaway arc and my invention provides anovel utilization of such current-limiting means where the latterdevelops magneticfiux as in'operation of such tubes on alternatingcurrent.

Another object of my invention is to generate incandescent light in ahighly eflicient manner to be blended with the light radiated by a gasunder the influence of anelectric discharge.

Another object is to generate in a highly ,eflicient manner energy toheat the thermionic cathodes of gas'discharge tubes. 1

Other objects and advantages will be apparent hereinafter.

For illustrative purposes reference may be had to the accompanyingdrawing, it being understood that the invention is illustrated but notlimited by the drawing and the description thereof.

Supply terminals I, 2 and 3 of a three wire 220 volt supplydeliveralternating current to corresponding terminals I' and 3'.Terminal I' is connected to anode 5 of tube I through ballast 4.Terminal 2' is connected to anode 7 through ballast 6. Cathode 8 of tubeI is connected to the neutral or ground 3- of the three wire systemthrough wires 9 and I0. Cathode 8 is coated with. an activatedthermionic substance and is heated by resistance. The current for thispurpose may be supplied by coil II which is wound on core I2 of atransformer (switch 26' being then closed). Coil II is a secondary coiland is closely interlinked with primary coils 4 and 6. Another secondarycoil I4 likewisereceives magnetic flux'from primary coils 4 and 6 andlights an incandescent lamp I5.

I to heat cathodes 8 only until the tubes are lighted" or renderedoperative and thereafter heating current from the transformer 22 can beshut off by opening switch 24'and heating of the cathodes duringoperation of the tubes efiected by coils II. I

Broadly, the respective tubes I and I6 or either of them may contain anyas and/or vapor capable of radiating lightQduringa period of usefulcommercial life under the influence of any electric discharge. Forexample, tube I may contain neon and .the'incandescent light I5 may beused to effect a partial correction of the neon radiation and supplysome of the wave lengths not found in vtheneon spectrumi' or the tube Imay contain mercury with or without a rarefgas.

The tubes may be operated as follows:

First cathodes 8 coated with an activated thermionic substance arebrought to an emissive, temperature, by current supplied fromtransformers 22 (switch 24 being then closed). Dischargepotential isthen applied to anodes 5 and I and cathodes 8 respectively and ionizingenergy such as an externally applied high frequency discharge is appliedby the device conventionally designated as I8. Ser. No. 659,803 filed oneven date herewith I describe a means of applying ionizing energy to agas discharge tube and I preferably employ that means. Said applicationis herewith incorporated by reference and made a part hereof.) An arcdischarge then occurs through each leg of the double anode tube I (orI6). For example a discharge occurs from I through ballast 4, from anode5 to cathode 8 and back to the neutral wire 3. Discharge also occursfrom 2' through ballast 6, from anode I to cathode 8, and back toneutral wire 3. Alternating current passing through the respective coils4 and 6 generates'magnetic flux which interlinks with coil I4 on core I2andinduces current in coil I4 which lights incandescent lamp I5. Fluxalso vinterlinlrs with secondary coil II and generates current whichheats thermionic cathode 8. For

this purpose switch 26 must be closed andswitch 24 can then be opened. I

Thus the ballasts 4 and 6 simultaneously per- 1 form two importantfunctions. They limit the current in the arc discharge tubes in seriestherewith and generate current which may be utilized as described.

(In my copending application From this point of view my inventiontherefore includes an arc discharge tube adapted to radiate means tocreate additional incandescent radiation sufficient to make the totalincandescent radiation about equal to the amount of light radiated b themercury tube.

4. A luminous arc discharge tube containing neon, a second luminous arcdischarge tube con-.

taining mercury and a gas selected from the group consisting of argon,krypton and xenon, the mercury tube having an envelope that intensifiesthe green wave lengths in the mercury light said mercury light duringoperation of the tubes radiating from about 3.5 to 4.5 times as muchlight as the neon tube, current carrying means in series'with each tubewhich means generates magnetic flux when a discontinuous current ispassed through said means, means to convert said flux into energy whichacts as ballast for said tube during operation thereof and also isconverted into incandescent radiation which is blended with the lightfrom the neon and mercury tubes, and means to create additionalincandescent radiation sufi'lcient to make the total incandescentradiation about equal to the amount of light radiated by the mercurytube.

5. Means to discharge an electric current through a column of asubstance which in the gaseous phase emits light in which blue and greenradiations predominate under the influence of an electric dischargesaidmeans constituting a first source of light, means to discharge anelectric current through a column of a substance which in the gaseousphase emits light in which red radiations predominate under theinfluence of an electric discharge said means constituting a secondsource of, light, means to control the current discharged through therespective columns at least one of said control means comprising currentcarrying means which generates magnetic fiux when a discontinuouscurrent is passed through the said means at least one incandescentfilament in an envelope separate from the envelope of the discharge tubeand means to convert the fiux capable of being generated by said currentcarrying means into current which during operation heats theincandescent filament to incandescence thereby generating a significantproportion of incandescent light which is blended with the light fromsaid first and second sources.

6. Means to discharge an electric current through a column of asubstance which-in the gaseous phase emits light in which blue and greenradiations predominate under the influence of an electric discharge saidmeans constituting a first source of light, means to discharge anelectric current through a column of a substance which in the gaseousphase emits light in which red radiations predominate under theinfluence of an electric discharge said means constituting a secondsource of light, means to control the current discharged through therespective c01- umns at least one of said control means comprisingcurrent carrying means which generates magnetic flux when adiscontinuous current is passed through the said means at least one intoincandescence thereby generating a significant proportion ofincandescent-light which is blended with the light from said first andsecond sources. '7. Means to discharge an electric current through acolumn of mercury said means constituting a firstsource of light, meansto discharge an electric current through a column of neon said meansconstituting a second source of light, means to control the currentdischarged through the respective columns at least one of said controlmeans comprising current carrying by generating a significant proportionof incandescent light which is blended with the light from said firstand second sources- BRANT EKNAYAN.

Aug. 20, 1935. H. EKNAYAN 2,012,239

LUMINOUS TUBE STARTING DEVICE F iled March 6, .95s 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR- HRH/VT [AWAY/UV- BY/U ' ATTORN Y-

